Shake Shack

Shake Shack traces its origins to a single hot dog cart set up in Madison Square Park in 2001 by restaurateur Danny Meyer as part of a public art installation — an enterprise that proved so popular it evolved into a permanent kiosk and eventually one of the most successful fast-casual restaurant chains in the world. The original location in Madison Square Park, with outdoor seating on the park's grounds, retains a character that no subsequent Shake Shack location entirely captures: eating a burger in the park, with the Flatiron Building and Madison Square's trees as the backdrop, remains one of the most pleasant casual dining experiences New York offers. The menu is built on a commitment to quality ingredients that distinguishes Shake Shack from conventional fast food: antibiotic-free Angus beef, hand-spun milkshakes made with frozen custard, house-made lemonade, and a brioche bun that holds together without disintegrating. The ShackBurger — a single or double patty with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and the house Shack sauce — is the essential order. The Shake Stack, which adds a crispy-fried portobello mushroom patty alongside the beef, is the more elaborate option. Seasonal concrete custards rotate throughout the year in collaboration with New York restaurants and food personalities. The chain now operates across the United States and internationally, but the Madison Square Park location remains the original and carries a charm that larger, urban outposts lack. Lines at the park kiosk are longest on weekends at midday.